It's a great day for the Irish

DUBLIN - Ireland wrecked England's Six Nations grand-slam dream with a battling performance to clinch a deserved 20-14 win at Lansdowne Rd yesterday.

For the third time in three years, England have fallen at the final hurdle against Celtic opponents and, while Clive Woodward's men retained the championship, it was scant consolation for failing to land the biggest prize in Northern Hemisphere rugby.

Ireland, already confirmed in second place, savoured their first win over England since 1994.



The home team scored the game's first try in the 18th minute after opting for an attacking lineout rather than a penalty attempt.

Lock Mick Galwey made a clean take of the throw from captain and hooker Keith Wood and fed fellow lock Malcolm O'Kelly.

Wood, peeling around, took the lock's pass and plunged over for the try. But first five-eighths David Humphreys, who missed three first-half shots at goal from five attempts, failed to add the conversion.

Ireland were 8-3 up and added to their lead just before the half-hour mark.

Left wing Denis Hickie hoisted a towering kick which fullback Iain Balshaw knocked on.

From a subsequent penalty Humphreys, in front of the posts, was successful.

England, who were lucky that Ireland wing Shane Horgan did not take advantage of a two-man overlap, responded through a second penalty from Humphreys' opposite, Jonny Wilkinson, on the stroke of halftime.

The home team, 11-6 up at the break, went further ahead in the 48th minute when England were caught offside and Humphreys landed a penalty from the 22m.

But England hit back four minutes later when Wilkinson struck his third penalty from three attempts.

England's speedy back trio of Balshaw, Dan Luger and Jason Robinson had not seen enough of the ball in attacking positions in the first half.

But when Luger at last broke clear in the 54th minute and looked set for a try, he was brilliantly ankle-tapped by Ireland halfback Peter Stringer.

That was typical of Ireland's commitment through both backs and forwards, with the pack harrying Woodward's men into a series of errors.

By contrast, most things were going right for Ireland. Ronan O'Gara landed a penalty to make it 17-9 in the 60th minute, his first act after coming on as a replacement for Humphreys.

Yet another penalty made it 20-9 with eight minutes to go, but England's pressure was eventually rewarded when substitute Austin Healey, on for Luger, went over late on, the Ireland defence for once overstretched.

Wilkinson missed the conversion, leaving England needing a converted try to snatch victory.

In injury time, lock Danny Grewcock cut inside when there were men over and the visitors' last chance had gone.

Ireland coach Warren Gatland believes his team can get even better.

"Our aim is to compete with the best teams in the world," Gatland said.

"We have done that today, and now we have got New Zealand in a few weeks' time [November 17 in Dublin] and we have to see if we can step up again and compete with them.

"I have always said this side would be a better side two years down the line, and I think we can get better."

The former All Black hooker said the win had been a team effort.

"I thought the backs were outstanding; the width we put on the game and the pressure we put the England backs under was tremendous."

Ireland's only try was scored by captain Wood, who crashed through a hole in the England defence after a well worked lineout move in the first half.

Wood said he thought England were "dull" in their first international of the season and that Ireland had benefited from their recent games against Scotland and Wales.

"I don't mean dull as an insult, I just don't think they were as sharp as us in the opening exchanges," he said. "We wanted it [victory] for ourselves, we wanted to believe for ourselves that as a group we were good enough to do it.

"Against a side like England you have a chance, that's all it is. It required people to play outside their abilities to take that chance."

Ireland have now completed their rescheduled Six Nations fixtures, which were postponed when the Irish Government restricted sporting events to contain the foot and mouth outbreak.

- AGENCIES